Solicitors

KIM

Hi
Im a 1st time buyer and in need of some help. Im finding that im getting a bit confused now.
I have done lots of research but i just need a bit of help with the legal side of things.

My mortgage broker has asked us to let him know what solicitors we will be using so he can arrange everything when we meet up and sign the mortgage bits abd bobs. Now our house won't be built until june at the earliest, so why do we need a solicitor already? Will it cost more because it will take so long to move in?

Is it worth shopping around to find the cheapest? or better to use family/friend reccomendations? What exactly do they do? How long does it take for them to sort out what they need to do?


Im useless, and my boyfriend is even worse! haha:p


Any help and advice appreciated.

Kim

KIM

Another thing, does anyone have any sites the would recommend i get an online quote from, like Andrew Smith advises in one of the stickies at the top of this board?

Thanks.

chant1l

If its not built yet you will, I guess, be sorting out a contract with a deposit to bind you to the property. The solicitor will be there to ensure that the contract is sensible and to iron out wrinkles (for example what happens to your deposit if the developer doesn't build in time or goes bust). All of which is unlikely, but a solicitor will be needed for this.
As for getting hold of one, the cheapest may not be the best as those who advertise "cheap" prices in the locals tend to be huge call centre like affairs with little attention to customer needs, detail or appreciation of timescales.
There tends to be a lot of add ons for "fixed price conveyancing" so I would be inclined to just get a local man your family may have used before.